


Fleeting lives, everlasting memories

by RebeccaAnabelBurrows



Category: DCU, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Inspired by Poetry, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:22:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26662120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebeccaAnabelBurrows/pseuds/RebeccaAnabelBurrows
Summary: Silver-green lanterns tossing among windy branches:So an old man thinksOf the loves of his youth.- Ephemera, Amy Lowell--An aging Bruce remembers a past lover.
Relationships: Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 4
Kudos: 52





	Fleeting lives, everlasting memories

**Author's Note:**

> NB : It's the full version of the poem.

Silver-green lanterns tossing among windy branches:  
So an old man thinks  
Of the loves of his youth.

\- Ephemera, Amy Lowell

Green lanterns with silver hues were swaying in the trees. Bruce's gaze stayed focused on their movement. 

They were almost the color of the Corps' uniforms. It had been quite a few years since Bruce had seen one. He had never thought he would reach a point where he would need to quit because of his age. You tended to die on the job when you were a vigilante. 

Many had. Teammates. Friends. Lovers.

They hadn't had the chance to see their hair turn gray like Bruce had. 

That was what he was thinking about, catching glimpses of silver on the lanterns who brightened the night. 

A glint of light in an eye, the corner of a mouth twitching up came to mind. 

Bright lanterns in the dark. 

A hearty laugh, strong large hands exploring skin. 

Bruce remembered. His body was weakening but his memory was still fully functional. A blessing, he had been told. A curse, he thought sometimes. 

Whispers in the dark, loud arguments. Making up kisses. Forgiving touches. 

Hal, Hal, Hal. 

A brilliant being. A passionate human. A brave man. A generous lover. A stubborn son of bitch. An amazing pilot. A respected Lantern. And above all, a formidable friend. Someone you could put your faith in. 

They had been so young, back then. Figuring out the Justice League gig. Figuring out each other.

A lantern flickered. The wind, certainly. Maybe that hadn't been such a good idea. 

They weren't supposed to be green. They had asked for red ones, Bruce was pretty sure of it. He would have vetoed green ones. Alfred's replacement was a total deception, for the excellent reason that no one could ever replace the man in Bruce's mind. 

The lantern Bruce had been looking at swayed more violently. Bruce put his hand on the French window's glass. 

"Shhhh." 

He had said these words to a Lantern, once. A human one who had been bleeding all over him and trashing and moaning in pain. 

"Shhhh." 

The lantern stopped moving erratically after a few seconds. 

Bruce closed his eyes and let his forehead touch the cold glass.

A single tear rolled on his cheek.

"Master ? The first guests have arrived." the new butler announced. 

Bruce only nodded and the servant left the room. Bruce looked at the lanterns swinging in the trees one last time, wiped his cheek and went to join his guests.

The glowing green stayed printed in Bruce's mind all night, long after the last lanterns had been turned off and the last conversations had died on. 

Falling asleep, he could almost feel his ex-lover's ghost holding him.

"Hal…" he murmured, relishing the sensation just before going to sleep once more. 

"Hal." he said again despite his closed eyelids, and the arms around him felt more solid this time. 

And for the first time in a long time, Bruce let things be without a fight.

The new butler found his lifeless master's body in the morning.


End file.
